Semisoft collar and fabric therefor



Jan. 26, 1932.. .J. v. MOORE 1,342,729

SEMISOFT COLLAR AND FABRIC THEREFOR Filed July 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet lJan. 26, 1932. .1. v. MOORE 1,842,729

SEMISOFT COLLAR AND FABRIC THEREFOR Filed July 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2fiu e rzzar 7072;: V. More Patented Jan. 26, 1932 STAT ES PATENT OFFICE.

HUI-IN V. M00333, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE; ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO FIGURE FABRICUOMPANY, 013 PA'WTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLANDSEMISOFT COLLAR AND FABRIC THEREFOR Application filed July 23, 19536.

This invention relates to a semi-soft collar and to fabric for makingthe same.

it is the general object of my invention to provide a fabric from whichsemi-soft collars may be manufactured, in which fabric such combinatiois of weave and material are used that the fabric may be cheaply andrapidly produced and that the collars formed therefrom will foldnaturally to the shape required for use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fabric for a semi-softcollar in which the band and face portions are woven in one piece butwith weaves having difi crent shrinkage characteristics. Morespecifically the band portion so woven that it will shrink substantiallymore than the face portion during the process of finishing the collarthus caus ng a curvilinear set to appear therein.

The distinctive face and band portions may appear as strips extendingcrosswise or as strips extending lengthwise of the fabric, both of whichforms are within the scope of my broad invention but this application isparticularly directed to the form in which the strips extend crosswiseof the fabric, so that the filling threads extend lengthwise of thecollar. The other form in which the strips extend lengthwise of thefabric and the warp threads extend lengthwise of the collar will be morespecifically described and claimed in another application about to befiled by me.

Elnothcr object of my invention is to provide a collar havingdistinctive weaves for the face and band portions, in which a foldportion is provided which lends itself naturally to its intendedpurpose, but which is not weakened to produce the fold effect. On theother hand 1 preferably provide an even firmer fabric at the foldportion but of a greatly unbalanced weave which causes a natural hingeaction when folding in use.

in the preferred form of my invention the fabric is woven flat withstraight warp and filling threads, and the number and size of both warpand filling threads are uniform througlnnit the width and length of thefabric. In certain forms of the invention, however, a difference infilling size may appear. lVhile l have described certain preferredSerial No. 125,545.

forms, I may employ variations or modifications of these constructions.For instance in one embodiment of my invention, I provide fillingthreads having different characteristics for different parts of thefabric, such as a slack twisted filling for the face portion, and atight twisted filling for the band portion. While the fabric ispreferably woven straight and fiat, it may in some cases be woven withthe filling threads curved in the direction of their length. The fabricmay also be subjected to increased tension toward the middle of itswidth between the point of weaving and the point of winding the fabricon the cloth roll.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter.described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a fabric embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view taken along theline 22 in Fig. 1

Fi g. 3 isa plan view of a portion of my improved fabric beforefinishing and shrink- Fig: i is a plan view of a collar out therefromand after the process of finishing has been completed;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the finished collar whenfolded;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a slightly modified fabric; and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a further modification.

Referring to the drawings, my improved fabric is formed of warp threadsW extending lengthwise of the fabric in the usual manner, and preferablyof uniform size and spacing throughout the width of the fabric. Fillingthreads F extend crosswise of the fabric in the usual manner and thesethreads also are preferably of uniform size and spacing throughout thelength of the fabric. v

While both the warp and filling is prefer ably kept uniform in theWeaving of the fabric, the weave itself or the manner of interlacing thewarp and filling threads is varied,

and the fabric is preferably woven in distinctive strips providing acollar face portion or flap 10, a fold portion 11, and a band portion 12successively, this design being repeated throughout the length of thefabric.

The collar blanks are cut'from the fabric in such a way that the fillingthreads F extend lengthwise of the collar, and the parts 10, 11 and 12are of widths sufficient to provide the desired width of band 14, fold15 and flap or face portion 16 for the collar, as indicated in Figs. 3and 4.

In the preferred form of my invention, the fabric is woven flat with thewarp and filling threads extending in straight lines throughoutthefabric as woven, except as the threads areslightly diverted fromstraight lines by the interlacings thereof.

I will now describe the distinctive weaves provided for the differentstrips 10, 11 and 'erably formed with a weave of substantial firmness,and in which the fabric is well balanced. By the term balanced I meansthat the'distribution of floats and ties of the warp threads issubstantially the'same on the two faces of the fabric.

While the weaves may be considerably var-ied within the limits of myinvention, I have indicated in Fig. 2 a weave for the face portion knownas'a three andone weave, in which each warp thread is bound under orover a single filling thread for-one pick in every four. r

- In the fold portion 11, I-have shown a oneup and three-downweave-which is also of afirm composition, but in which the upper andlowersu'rfaces of the fabric are unbalanced, as allof the floatsappearupon the inmi or under face of the fabric. A weave -of this type has anatural tendency to act "as a hinge, with the floats on the concave sideof the fabric when folded.

Instead of a one-up and three-down weave, as indicated in Fig; 2,1 maymake a still firmer fabric'at' the fold line, by adopting a-o ne up' andtwo-down weave as-"indicated in Fig. 7, in which the hinge effect iseven more-marked.

It will be noted that this fold portion is not in any way weakened overother portions of the fabric, but is preferably equally firm and may beevenmore firm than the outer or face portion. It is not any weakening orlightening of the fabric which produces the hinge action but the mannerof interlacing the threads which causes the fold portion to haveawnatural hinge-like action when folded, particularly after goingthrough the process of shrinking and finishing.

In the band portion 10, the number and spacing of thewarp and fillingthreads is preferably the sameaspr'eviously described,

a reduced number of interlacings.

but the manner of interlacing the threads is different from either theface portion 12 or the fold portion 11. In the band portion 10 thefabric is less firmly woven and, as indicatedin the drawings, each warpthread passes through the fabric in the same direction only once ineight picks. I have indicated a five-up and three-down weave in whicheach warp thread floats on the surface for five" picks and is thenboundunder the fabric for three picks, thus producing a very loosely wovenfabric, in which there is A fabric of this loose construction is subjectto much greater shrinkage during the processing and finishing of thecloth.

VVhile the weaves indicated in Fig. 2 are particularly well adapted foruse in my improved fabric and for producing satisfactory collars havingall portions woven in a single piece, it should be understood that theweaves shown are illustrative only and that they may be widely variedwithin the scope of my invention. For instance, a seven-up and one-downweave may be adopted for the bandportion. I V V In the preferred form ofmy invention the filling threads extend straightacross the fabric asindicated in- Fig. 1, but the advantage of my invention may also beutilized in a fabric in which the filling is beaten up with a curvedreed so that the filling threads extend in curved lines across thefabric as indicated in Fig. 6. 7

Also inthe preferred form of my invention I rely entirely u-pon thedifference in weaves toprOduce -the desired curvilinear set ofthe-collarand the desired relation of the parts when-folded to produce a smoothand-*well-fitting collar, but for very small collars or-for specialpurposes I may find it advisable to increase the shrinkage effect due tothe difference in weaves by using a relatively slack twisted filling forthe flap or face portion, and using a relatively hard twisted fillingfor theband portion, this latter filling being subject to greatershrinkage than the slack twisted filling, and increasing'the shrinkagein the band portion produced during the finishing operation.

Figs. 3'and' l illustrate the effect on the fabric of the shrinking orprocessing in the finishing of the collars. In Fig. 3, I have indicateda portion of the fabric as woven, and in Fig. 4,-I have indicated theshape of a collar formed by use of-this fabric after it has beensubjected to the finishing processes,showing the curvilinear set of thecollar occasioned by'the greater-shrinkage of the band portion.

In actual practice, the cloth is preferably shrunk and processed forfinishing while in the piece and before theblanks are out there from.Increased shrinkage is apparent as soon as the'blanks are severed.

lll

It is desirable also that the band portion should be unbalanced, havingthe shorter floats on the under face of the band, as this constructionwhen shrunk and folded naturally produces the concave shape of the bandindicated at in Fig. 5. This form gives a smoother fold and eliminatesfullness in the band, causing the collar to fit better than wouldotherwise be possible.

lWhile 1 preferably weave the fabric flat and straight, as indicated inFig. 1, it is sometimes desirable to subject the center portion of thefabric to a greater tension between the weaving and the winding up ofthe fabric on the cloth roll, and for this purpose I may provide atapered guide roll, as indicated at 22 in Fig. 1, over which the cloth sdrawn by the cloth roll, not shown. The cloth roll itself, however, ispreferably cylindrical.

in the following claims I use the term active warps to designate suchwarps as are actively used in weaving the exposed surface of the fabricas distinguished from staffer, hinder or reinforcing warps.

While l have described a collar having distinctive face, band and foldportions, I may also attain some of the advantages of my invention byusing my improved face and band portions, directly joined to each other.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as setforth in the claims.

i l hat I claim is l. A single-ply semi-soft collar having the band andface portions of the collar woven in one piece and comprising fillingand active warp threads only but woven in distinctive weaves so that theband portion will have su'iiistantially greater shrinkage than the faceportion during the finishing operation thereby ving said collar acurvilinear set.

2-. A semi-soft collar having the filling threads extending lengthwiseof the collar and having the band and face portions of the collar wovenin one piece but woven in distinctive weaves so that the band portionwill have substantially greater shrinkage than the face portion duringthe finishing operation, thereby giving said collar a curvilinear set.

3. A semi-soft collar having the filling tl'ui'eads extending lengthwiseof the collar and having the band and face portions of the collar wovenin one piece, and both woven with straight warp and straight fillingthreads but with distinctive weaves in said two portions havingsubstantially different shrinkage characteristics.

rt. A semi-soft collar having the band and :lace portions of the collarwoven in one piece and woven with a uniform number of warp threads and auniform number of filling threads per unit of surface area throughoutthe length and width of the fabric, but having the Warp and fillingthreads differently interlaced in said two portions, so that the bandwill shrink more readily and to a greater extent than the face portion.

threads extending lengthwise ofthe collar and having the band and faceportions of the collar woven in one piece and woven with a uniformnumber of warp threads anda uniform number of filling threads per unitof surface area throughout the length and width of the fabric, buthaving the Warp and filling threads differently interlaced in said twoportions, so that the band will shrink more readily and to a greaterextent than the face portion.

6. A single-ply semi-soft collar having the band and face portions ofthe collar woven in onepiece and comprising filling and active warpthreads only, said parts being woven with straight warp and straightfilling threads but in distinctive weaves effective to cause a collarcut therefrom to take a curvilinear form upon shrinkage and finishin 7.A single-ply semi-soft collar having the band and face portions of thecollar woven in one pieceand comprising filling and active warp threadsonly, said collar having a relatively larger number of interlacings ofwarp and filling threads per unit of surface area in the face portionanda substantially less number of interlacings per unit of area in thebandportion, whereby greater shrinkage in the band portion is effected.

8. A semi-soft collar having the filling threads extending lengthwise ofthe collar and having the band and face portions of the collar woven inone piece and woven in distinctive weaves at substantially differentshrinkage characteristics, the filling in the face portion being subjectto relatively slight shrinkage and the filling in the band portion beingsubject to relatively greatershrinkage during finishing.

9. A semioft collar having the filling threads extending lengthwise ofthe collar and having the band and face portions of the collar woven inone piece and woven in. distinctive -weaves at substantially differentshrinkage characteristics, the filling in the face portion beingrelatively slack twisted and the filling in the band portion beingrelatively tight twisted.

10. A single-ply semi-soft collar having the band and face portions ofthe collar woven in one piece and comprising filling and active warpthreads only, and having the band portion formed with an unbalanced andmore open weave effective to cause greater shrinkage of said bandportion relative to said face portion and to cause an outwardly concavetransverse displacement of the band portion when the collar is finishedand folded for wear.

.70 5. A semi-soft collar having the filling lOl] 11. 'A single-plysemi-soft collar having the band and face portions of the collar wovenin onepiece and comprising filling and active warp threads only, andwoven with substantially different shrinkage characteristics, wherebythe band portion shrinks more than the face portionand gives said collara curvilinear set, said collar also having a hinge portion at thefold'with-further different weaving characteristics. a

12. A fabric for semi-soft collars so woven that thefilling threads willextend lengthwise of the collar, said fabric being woven in successivestrips extending crosswise of" the fabric being formed of filling-andactive warp threads only and designed for band, fold, and face portionshaving distinctive weaves effective to cause-greater relative shrinkagein the band portion and give said collar a curvilinear set, said foldportion being of the full strength ofthe other portions but having itselements so interlaced to produce a natural hinge efifect on folding foruse.

13. A single-ply-semi-soft collar having band,fold and face portionswoven in one piece and comprising filling and active warp threads onlywith a uniform number of warp threads and a uniform number of' fillingthreads perzunit of surface area but said parts having diiferentshrinkage characteristics, and said fold portion having a distinctiveunbalanced weave producinga marked hinge effect upon folding aftershrinkage, but being of the full strength of the other portions of thefabric. a g

14. A semi-soft collar having the filling threads extending"lengthwiseof the collar and having band, fold and face portions woven with auniform number of Warp threads and a uniform number of filling thread-sper unit of surface area but said parts having different shrinkagecharacteristics, and said fold' portion being more firmly woven thansaid face and band portions but with a distinctive unbalanced weave,producinn: a marked'hing-e effect upon folding after shrinkage. I I

15. A fabric for semi-soft collars so woven that the filling threadswill extend lengthwise of the collar, said fabricbeing'weven in suc'cessive'strips extending crosswise of the fabno and design-edfoi' band,fold, and face portions each having a distinctive weave produc ingdifferent shrinkage ratio, said three portions all containing a uniformnumber of warp and fillinggthreads but beingsubject to increased tensiontoward the middle-0f its,

width between the point of weaving and the cloth roll. a i a i 16; Asingle ply'semi-soft collar having the filling threads extendinglengthwise ofthe fixed my signature.

JOHN V. MOORE.

